Bound to You (Naruto)

Chapter Twenty Eight

Tsuki lay curled in a ball atop Manda while hugging Yuki close. She could tell Orochimaru was having a hard time against whatever foe had shown up. Tears streamed down her pale cheeks. She felt so helpless here unable to do anything. Manda told her to stay here where it was safe for her. Somehow, she could sense what jutsu Orochimaru was going to use, he was gearing up for a summons. He wouldn't summon Manda expecting her to be with him.

Tsuki scanned the cavern full of snakes to try and figure out which snake would be summoned. She spotted one that looked to be a descendant of Manda as it started to glow. Tsuki released Yuki and bolted for the snake as it was being summoned.

"Tsuki!" Manda's roar of a voice was laced with concern as she dove for the snake being summoned. Her hand pressed against it's scaled body just as the summon took hold.

She let out a gasp as she was pulled back to the clearing she'd disappeared from along with the giant snake. The clearing had changed a bit as it now appeared to have been destroyed from the fight. Trees were downed and uprooted, the ground looked as if it had been torn and ripped apart by large scaled powerful attacks. Tsuki scrambled away from the giant snake and hurriedly searched for Orochimaru. He was locked in a fight with two men wearing the Akatsuki robes, solid black with white outlined red clouds.

One of the men was quite tall and had his face covered with a cloth mask leaving only his pupil less mint green eyes revealed. The other was about average height with slicked back grey hair and bright purple eyes wielding a strange scythe like weapon with red blades. Orochimaru while remaining calm and poised on the outside was struggling to fend them both off as he was preoccupied worrying about Tsuki. She could feel his inner worry and knew he was having trouble holding them both off.

The giant snake charged into the fray. Orochimaru's gaze flicked in Tsuki's direction as he sensed her pure presence. His eyes grew wide as he spotted her with tears rolling down her pale cheeks. There was a warning in his eyes commanding her to flee. Tsuki bit her lip and shook her head, she wouldn't abandon him. She darted forward. Shrieking gale force winds tore through the destroyed clearing abolishing everything in their path. One especially powerful gust wrapped around Orochimaru shielding him from his opponents. The Akatsuki turned to the newcomer but didn't have a moment to react as they were both sent hurtling in the raging screaming winds.

Tsuki ran to Orochimaru's side and threw her arms around him, "I'm sorry!" She cried as she hugged him tight.

Orochimaru caught the soft-hearted girl in his arms and held her tightly against him. He felt his chakra stores replenishing and his strength returning. The few wounds he'd managed to obtain in her absence began to mend. "Troublesome child." Orochimaru sighed as he pressed his lips to the top of her head a small smile dancing across his lips. "That was just what I needed, thank you Tsuki." He looked to the giant serpent that he'd summoned, "protect her with your life."

The serpent nodded. Tsuki tried to resist as Orochimaru released her from his hold and gently shoved her toward the giant serpent. Her heart pounded in her chest as the two men returned to the destroyed clearing. They both looked in her direction before the giant serpent coiled around her concealing her from view.

The fight began again, it sounded violent and she couldn't see anything that was happening. "No." Tsuki cried softly. She wasn't any help here. "Please let me out." She begged the giant serpent that had created a strange cocoon around her to keep her out of the fray.

Even with the boost in chakra, Orochimaru seemed to be struggling against his opponents because the serpent he'd summoned was now protecting the beautiful starlight maiden. Tsuki panicked as she felt a sharp pain in her chest, Orochimaru was injured. It was bad! The giant snake around her suddenly disappeared and she found herself face to face with the man with the bright purple eyes and slicked back grey hair.